Contact lenses are tiny polymer plates that are transparent.
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You can forget about eyesight issues with the aid of contact lenses. They aid in clear, distortion-free vision, and certain varieties allow you to highlight or vary the color of your eyes. However, in order to get the benefits of lenses, you must select the appropriate ones. Otherwise, it will be inconvenient and may result in vision impairment.
Ksenia Belskaya, an ophthalmologist at the Botkin City Clinical Hospital of the Moscow Department of Health in Russia, discussed the benefits of vision correction using contact lenses and the intricacies of their selection with the journalist.
Purpose of contact lense
Contact lenses are tiny polymer plates that are transparent. They are applied in a "contact" manner, meaning that they are placed directly on the cornea of the eye. The mechanism of action is similar to that of glasses: they refract light and route it at an angle to the retina, enhancing eyesight.
The hazy "image" clears up, allowing you to read without stress, watch TV, recognize individuals on the street, and effortlessly navigate when driving or taking public transportation. A person may live an active lifestyle without worrying about not seeing or not being able to notice the surrounding things thanks to vision correction.
The following visual impairments can be addressed using contact lenses:
★Myopia– when a person can't tell the difference between close and far items, yet can tell the difference between them;
★Farsightedness - when reading or writing is difficult or impossible, yet a person can see clearly in the distance;
★Astigmatism– is a condition that develops when the shape of the cornea of the eye changes.
You may also conceal eye cosmetic flaws with their assistance.
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“In the absence of iris and post-traumatic alterations, ornamental lenses are utilized to hide corneal leucorrhoea,” says Ksenia Belskaya, an ophthalmologist at the Botkin City Clinical Hospital. "They cover faults and give a person greater self-assurance."
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Pros and cons of contact lenses
1. The image's scale is preserved. Myopia glasses diminish the image, whereas hyperopia glasses enlarge it. Contact lenses do not alter the size of the picture on the retina, resulting in more accurate visual perception.
2. Protection against image distortion. When wearing glasses, a beam of light passes through multiple media before reaching the retina: the glasses themselves, the air gap, and the tear. As a result, visual distortion is unavoidable. By decreasing distortion, the contact technique of correction creates a sharper image on the retina.
3. The field of view is being widened. There is no need to turn to the item of interest and gaze attentively at it because the lens is near to the eyeball and travels with it. The person's peripheral vision is preserved as a result of this. On the "periphery" of the glasses, there are no prismatic distortions. The image is neither stretched or distorted, regardless of whether the item is in the middle or on the sides.
4. The convenience of eyesight correction. Correction is more tolerable than wearing glasses, especially if the diopter discrepancy between the eyes is significant. Tension in the eyes and headaches are far less common.
5. There are no limitations on how you live. Contact lenses have no effect on a person's look. Wearing them is entirely undetectable, but wearing glasses always leaves a "imprint" on the face. You may go running and swimming in them, ride a bicycle or motorbike while wearing a helmet, and wear sunglasses, in other words, live the lifestyle you want. Their considerable benefits are also apparent in the weather's "whims": they do not get wet in the rain and do not fog up when entering a heated room from the street.
6. There is only one answer to several issues. Modern optical contact lenses enable a person to see clearly both up close and far away. To accomplish so, you must select the right models, such as multifocal glasses, which remove the need for several lenses (for distance and for reading).
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“The main drawback of contact lenses is the importance of special, careful care and hygiene during their use,” comments ophthalmologist Ksenia Belskaya. - Models of planned replacement are required to be processed daily, kept in a disinfectant solution. Also, you cannot use them for infectious diseases, acute respiratory viral infections, and inflammatory diseases of the eyes. "
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Types of contact lenses
There is a daytime wear restriction and a total length of usage for all contact lenses. It is not worth it to go over the required time frames, as this might lead to problems. The kind of lens determines these characteristics.
Rigid contact lenses
Because they have lasting characteristics, they can serve for a long period - up to two years. They are long-lasting, resistant to deposits, and do not dry out in dry air or wind. If it weren't for a few "buts," they may be regarded an outstanding alternative for patients.
Individually produced goods. Going to an ophthalmologist, getting a prescription, and then going to the pharmacy to obtain the suggested pair will not work. Such models are always produced on a one-to-one basis. As a result, you must keep a close eye on the replacement period in order to buy a new pair ahead of time.
It's a difficult but addictive game. Because of the plate's rigidity, adaption is gradual, and the user experiences a "foreign body" in the eye for a long time. This lowers the ease with which such models may be used.
When wearing soft equivalents, these drawbacks are totally gone. They're widely acknowledged as the best option for resolving most visual issues.
Soft contact lenses
They're only good for six months, but they're a lot more comfortable to wear. They become used to them quickly: after a few minutes of the first application, they are no longer felt in the eyes. The reduction in the danger of viral and inflammatory eye disorders is their major advantage over harsh ones. The restricted wearing time, which can range from 12 hours to 7 days, and the limited service life, which can not exceed six months, give this benefit.
Soft-structured models also have the following drawbacks:
Compared to stiff versions, it has less strength; it dries in the wind and in areas with dry air; and it has a low resistance to deposits.
According to the ophthalmologist, "soft contact lenses cannot correct high-grade astigmatism or keratoconus, a disease in which the cornea thins and becomes tapered."
Which contact lenses are best for wearing
★Wear it during the day. During the day, they are worn for roughly 12 hours and then removed at night.
★Wearing options are varied. They can be worn during the day and may or may not be removed at night. The total time spent wearing should not exceed two days in this scenario.
★Long-term use. They are not permitted to be taken off at night, and they can be worn for a total of two to seven days.
★Wear it all the time. They can be worn for 30 days without interruption, with the correction taking place under the guidance of a doctor.
The manufacturer recommends that you replace your lenses on a regular basis. Some models may be replaced every 2-6 months, while others require more frequent replacement. Those that require regular replacement are preferable from the standpoint of user safety. One-day and two-week lenses, for example.
Daily Contact Lenses
This is the name of the models that require replacing on a daily basis. The concept behind their use is simple: the user puts on a new pair of shoes every morning and discards them at the end of the day. The major benefit of these models is that they do not necessitate the use of cleaning chemicals, processing, or disinfection.
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“A doctor is safer for his patient if he uses such contact lenses,” notes Ksenia Belskaya. "The patient is better protected from complications because he does not wear the same lens several times after treatment."
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One-day models can't be reused. If you don't change them frequently enough or sleep in them, the risk of bacterial and inflammatory problems increases, as does the risk of vision loss.
2 Week Contact Lenses
Two-week replacement models have the same characteristics as one-day replacement models: they are soft and pleasant, and they are less expensive than "one-day" replacement models, therefore some patients choose them for financial reasons.
However, it is critical to carefully care for two-week models in order to avoid savings becoming issues. They should be treated with a specific disinfectant solution after each use, generally before going to bed, and then maintained overnight in a container for disinfection and cleaning. Sleeping in such lenses is not suggested; however, there are versions that may be worn for longer periods of time.
How to choose contact lenses for specific problem
To treat myopia and hyperopia, spherical models are employed. Other visual impairments can also be corrected with special designs.
Multi-focal contact lenses
They are intended to treat presbyopia, also known as hyperopia, which often occurs between the ages of 40 and 45. This design eliminates the need for the user to purchase and wear two pairs of glasses: one for distance and one for reading.
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“Multifocal models are well tolerated by patients in everyday life,” notes ophthalmologist Ksenia Belskaya, “but there are some limitations when wearing them. Their use when driving vehicles is not recommended due to the peculiarities of the pupil width at the time of emotional and visual stress. Also, they do not provide improved quality of vision at different distances, that is, the "picture" near during long-term work with small objects may be less clear than at a distance. "
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Astigmatic contact lenses
Astigmatism is corrected with them. Toric contact lenses is another term for these types of lenses. Their design includes a distinctive extra indication that allows you to account for the effects of astigmatism on the refraction of the axis of the light beam.
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“Conventional spherical lenses are unstable on the eyeball,” comments Ksenia Belskaya. - They deviate with every blink, but this does not affect the quality of vision. With astigmatism, such deviations are unacceptable, and in toric models, they are excluded. Thanks to special markings, they remain in the desired position on the cornea, which eliminates the displacement of their axis during blinking and eye movement. The quality of vision remains stable. "
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Night Contact Lenses
The nocturnal or orthokeratology models are differentiated by their unique design. They cause a planned alteration in the shape of the cornea's anterior surface, lowering its refractive power.
After removing the lens from the eye, the cornea's shape, which had been changed during sleep, gradually returns. This results in a time when the patient does not require vision correcting equipment. He is unable to use either lenses or glasses during the day.
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“This method of correction is suitable for patients with myopia up to seven diopters,” notes ophthalmologist Ksenia Belskaya. - Lenses are made individually for each patient. A thorough examination is carried out beforehand, and after the start of wearing - an assessment of the effect. The first assessment is done after the first night in the lenses. The next control is performed after seven nights, then the patient must come for follow-up examinations every 3-6 months. "
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Full vision correction may not be possible when utilizing night models in individuals with a greater degree of myopia (more than seven diopters). However, if the maintenance of residual myopia is not a concern, such models can be used. Wearing them is not recommended for the following reasons:
★Infectious and inflammatory disorders, including general and ocular;
★ Severe dry eye condition;
★ Keratoconus, a corneal shape alteration.
Orthokeratological models have a service life of up to two years.
Moisturizing contact lenses
Water is included in all soft lenses, however the amount varies from model to model. Because the "plate" does not allow the eye to dry out, the more water in it, the more comfortable it is to wear. Models with a water content of 51-70 percent are referred to be moisturizing models. Moisturizing components can also be incorporated into their design.
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“Most often, one-day models are distinguished by a high moisture content,” clarifies Ksenia Belskaya. "They are recommended for people who work at a computer for a long time, who are forced to be in conditions of low atmospheric pressure, or whose work is associated with harmful substances."
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Such lenses have a severe drawback: protein and fat deposits accumulate fast on them, despite their excellent wearing comfort. As a result, they are only utilized for a limited time.
Colored Contact Lenses
These are painted in a variety of colors, ranging from natural and deep to dramatic and surprising. They can serve a useful role, such as correcting vision impairments while also altering or highlighting the color of the eyes, as well as a purely ornamental one, such as changing the color of the iris to draw people' attention to the eye.
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“Decorative use of lenses is permissible,” notes ophthalmologist Ksenia Belskaya. - But you need to remember that they contain a large amount of dyes and have a low gas permeability. Therefore, wearing them for a long time and throughout the whole day is not worth it. "
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